captivating maths with a wink

although i couldn’t get to the last maths network meeting till after 6pm – (says something for the group that they were still going strong) – I heard lots of good things about Kyle’s demonstration of the Captivate software (screen capture tool) .  There’s a bit of detail and samples of their work at BSSC here .

I’d recently discovered a similar product (Wink) which does the same sort of thing, including nav buttons,  voice and text annotations, and is free, so i’ve put a quick sample of that together here.

It needs a few techniques to get the audio recording to be reasonable (not too choppy) but its quite a good solution, all up.

Either way- Captivate or Wink, saves having to explain complex software (or the embedded maths) repeatedly …

(Wink is made by the same generous person who has written the Wax program, which is useful for bluescreen (example here) .. though i’m yet to see how we could use that for maths!?). Actually … i guess you could have a video of yourself talking in the corner of the tutorial; ie layer yourself over the main app you were explaining. Don’t know that most maths teachers would see the point of that, or if it would improve the result, but its possible….. but i’m happy to help anyone who wants to give that a go!

rob
i. (anyone can comment here – and maths teachers can publish … read through the start-here page on top right of page)
ii. part 2 of the minutes of this meeting are here

pd shadowing survey etc

 At the recent maths network meeting there was an agreement that professional development relating to  

• team teaching
• strategies for teaching difficult concepts (fractions etc)
• open ended tasks and games
• technology (IWB, screen capture (Captivate,Wink etc), graphics calculators, Maths 300 etc). 

would be valuable for local maths staff.   This was supported by the findings of a recent survey of maths staff in the network conducted by Latrobe University.  The network also agreed that a mentoring / shadowing approach is an effective way to deliver and receive this PD. Simon Pryor from MAV has also indicated that there is some funding available to support this process (CRT etc).  Therefore we would like to compile a list of staff who  

• feel that they have something to offer in one or more of the above areas, for occasional mentoring/ school observation,  
• staff who would like to avail themselves of this learning network in one or more of these of these areas

please download this word file to indicate which areas you would like to be involved with and return to Neville Davies (details on the form)

network spinoff in one cluster – more primary / secondary discussion

one spinoff of the first meeting of this network came when maths teachers from various stages (primary and secondary) just got together; apart from the formal program, the relative anonymity of not knowing everyone can allow discussion (and “eavesdropping!”) on what the “other” stages really think. In the whitehills cluster, this lead to a followup meeting, around these provocative questions, mediated with the essential wine and cheese, (minutes here).

Anyway, one outcome was need for more shadowing (as well as sharing of textbooks, discussion of preferred outcomes, re tables etc)   so shadowing is the next thing to get going 
(the rest of this is local detail so click the “read” link below if it applies – ie whitehills maths teachers)

Tertiary goes Middle Years

There is a philosophical divide in many schools; do we emphasise “middle years” (more generalist teachers, less segmentation of learning into discrete subjects, more emphasis on engagement, social and emotional competencies, individual approaches, generic thinking skills),  or do we for go for subject discipline (emphasis on specialisation, structured content, exams)  as soon as possible?  

Vels: Maths and Progression Points: Bendigo August 22nd

Dear Colleagues,

Attached is the advertisement for the PD sessions being conducted in the Regional Office auditorioum by Ian Lowe on August 22nd. One session will be conducted from 2 til 4pm for Secondary Teachers. Another session from 4.30pm till 6.30pm will be conducted for Primary Teachers. Please provide this info to your colleagues and encourage them to attend.

Neville Davies

LM Regional Project Officer (Science, Maths and Technology)

bendigo_ianlowe_invite.doc

first post

welcome to the Bendigo Maths Network

 if you haven't been here before click here to read the start page, explaining what its about, and follow up to the first meeting.

if you want to comment on a post, you can by clicking the "comments" link after each post - discussion can occur in the comments.

if you want to be able to make new posts, read this to become a co-author on the blog

Enjoy. (start here)